SHERIDAN — Over the weekend, the Zonta Club of Wyoming Bighorns put the finishing touches on a new soft interview room at the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office.
The room was a collaboration between the club and the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office, while Texas based nonprofit Project Beloved provided the paint, furniture artwork and decor. On Dec. 10, the club members painted the room and completed the installation of the furniture, blankets, decor and photographic artwork.
The process of interviewing victims and perpetrators of domestic violence or sex crimes can be difficult to navigate, Sheriff Levi Dominguez previously told The Sheridan Press, and it’s important to ensure the victim feels comfortable and safe speaking about their experience.
While Sheridan Police Department has a soft interview room, the sheriff’s office did not.
Soft interview rooms are private rooms where detectives can speak to victims in a more comfortable environment than a standard, sterile interrogation room, and soft interview rooms often trade cold metal tables, blank walls and uncomfortable chairs for couches, paintings and toys for minor victims.
“Evidence based practices call for a trauma-informed approach to reports of rape and sexual assault and a soft interview room is considered an integral component of (trauma informed care),” the Project Beloved website said. “Creating a space that is comfortable rather than stark allows the participant to feel physically and emotionally safe and can have a significant impact on the interview process.”
Project Beloved “strives to educate, advocate and collaborate to change the conversation about sexual assault and empower survivors to find their voices,” according to the organization’s website. Zonta Club member Cassie Sundberg said the SCSO soft interview room is Project Beloved’s 82nd room in the country and second in Wyoming.
The Zonta Club of Wyoming Bighorns became an official chartered club of Zonta District 12 and Zonta International Oct. 15. The group meets monthly on the second Thursday of the month. The Zonta Club is dedicated to advocating “for equality, education and an end to child marriage and gender-based violence,” according to its website.
In addition to setting up the soft interview room, the Zonta Club of Wyoming Big Horns recently partnered with Project Beloved to prepare bags of clothes, toiletries and other amenities — known as “Beloved Bundles” — to be distributed to victims of sexual assault after forensic examinations are performed.
Zonta Says NO
Zonta Club of Fredericksburg, Texas partners with Grace Center for 16 Days Campaign
The Zonta Club of Fredericksburg, TX (ZCF) is taking part in 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence—an international campaign that aims to inspire activism and end violence against women and girls around the world.
Local activities include a banner over Main Street, a display at the Girl Scout Cabin on the corner of Crocket and Austin, a service project to benefit domestic violence victims, and a celebration at the Schatze Haus Resale Boutique—which benefits the Grace Center—on Wednesday, 29 November from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
The Grace Center of Fredericksburg provides shelter, offers guidance, and schedules free and confidential services to empower those who have been impacted by domestic violence and seek to escape their abuser.
“Zonta envisions a world where no woman lives in fear of violence. Through the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign, our members and allies stand together, uniting our voices to advocate for all those who have suffered gender-based violence,” says Zonta International President Ute Scholz.
“Zonta is needed now, more than ever, to continue its work to end violence and build a better world for women and girls.” The 16 Days of Activism campaign begins 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ends 10 December, International Human Rights Day.
Zonta International encourages its clubs to participate in advocacy efforts that focus on prevention, protection, and prosecution.
ZCF activities include:
• A “ZONTA SAYS NO” banner over Main Street at CrockeX Street and the Girl Scout Cabin display show off orange (the color for domestic violence awareness) and #16DaysofActivism information. The corner display also provides QR Codes for more information about the campaign and Zonta efforts.
• A service project to make 50 hygiene bags for The Grace Center. These bags are filled with a variety of basic toiletries to be offered to women entering The Grace Center aker fleeing a violent domestic event.
The 29 November reception at the Schatze Haus Resale Boutique brings attention to its great work to support the Grace Center.
Join us to learn more about domestic violence in our community and how these organizations work together to fight it.
ZCF president Elizabeth Wunderlich said, “the Grace Center gives hope by offering local domestic violence victims a place to seek shelter from their abuser.”
She added, “Supporting the Schatze Haus and the Grace Center is in perfect alignment with our Zonta mission and 16 Days of Activism. We encourage the community to join us on Wednesday to learn more about what this amazing organization is doing for our residents affected by violent trauma at the hands of a domestic partner.”
President Liz Wunderlich was able to get the word out on the local radio station with a Trish Dwyer-Morgan of KNAF interview about ZISVAW on Wednesday, 22 November.
Kaohsiung American School: Zonta Says NO To Violence Against Women Promotion Video
To advocate for the “Zonta says NO to violence against women” campaign, Kaohsiung American School Zonta Club hosted a week of on-campus awareness campaign.
An email was sent to the entire KAS high school to inform them of this event, including the cause and aim.
Throughout the week, Zonta Club executives and members filmed video clips of students, teachers, and staffs.
The most creative and powerful ones were chosen and made into a promotion video that we then posted on our Instagram account.
By doing so, we hope to spread awareness of violence against women by letting everyone feel personally engaged to this campaign.
Zonta Club of Makati and Environs joins Zonta Says NO Campaign
Every November, we raise awareness for our advocacies through 16 Days of Activism.
This year, Zonta Club of Makati and Environs (ZCME), in partnership with the Makati Social Welfare Department, presented “16 Days of Activism: BABAE AKO, HINDI BABAE LANG” (I AM A WOMAN, I am NOT JUST a WOMAN) on 30 November at 1 pm at the University of Makati Auditorium.
The event commenced with a short film presentation depicting different types of Violence Against Women titled “EBAI…Babae Ka Hindi Babae Lang,” an advocacy film for women empowerment and a fight to end Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) written & directed by: Harvie C. Aquino, a joint Project of HCA Production and LGU Lingayen headed by Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil (GAD Chairperson) and Vice Mayor Judy De Leon Vargas-Quiocho (GAD Vice Chairperson).
The auditorium was filled with close to 300 participants, including Grade 11 and Grade 12 students from the University of Makati, women representatives from 33 barangays of Makati, and the Kababaihan’s organization from Taguig City.
Following the film, a riveting panel discussion took place. These panelists were thoughtfully selected to represent the key individuals and agencies that the public can turn to for assistance:
• Judge Elisa R. Sarmiento-Flores, Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 71, Pasig City
• Judge Joe Ricuerdo P. Flores, Presiding Judge of RTC Branch 6, Tanauan City, Batangas
• Atty. Jefferson Gonzales, Senior Lawyer, Makati Public Attorney’s Office
• Ms. Jowie Advincula, RPm, RPsy, CSAP, Clinical Psychologist from the Ospital ng Makati (OSMAK)
• PCPT Jenibeth Artista, Officer-In-Charge, Women and Children Protection Desk
• Ms. Dulce G. Manansala, RSW, Social Welfare Officer II from the Makati Social Welfare Department
The thought-provoking film sparked a panel discussion that lasted over 1.5 hours. Numerous follow-up questions and consultations continued after the discussion, covering topics such as awareness, root causes, support systems, laws & policies, education & prevention, engaging men & boys in preventing VAWC (Violence Against Women and Children), and the media’s role in shaping perception and transforming these channels as a vehicle for change.
The main takeaways were loud and clear:
• Female Empowerment – “Babae Ako, Hindi Babae Lang” (I AM A WOMAN, I am NOT JUST a WOMAN)
• “Walang Over, Walang Under, Dapat Partner” (Women and Men can and must be equal partners)
• “Bawal Bastos Laws” (NO to Violence against Women and Children and VAWC laws simply mean NO to DISRESPECT)
There are key individuals, agencies, and departments one can run to for help. This event played a vital role in creating awareness, fostering dialogue, and inspiring positive change.
ZCME and its partners continue to make a significant impact by addressing these critical issues and encouraging a collective effort towards a safer, more just and equal society.
Zonta Club Herzogenaurach, Germany says NO to violence against women through facts, arts and information
In August we started to photograph local VIPs on our orange bank and collected their statements against violence against women.
Posters were made of them and shared on social media. We decorated a shop window with posters of the statistics and information about were to find help.
On the promenade of our little river we hang out these facts and statements too. In addition, we hung up paintings of a local artist who works with traumatized women.
The event was announced in radio and the newspaper. A tv spot is being made afterwards.
On 25 November we handed out oranges in paper bags with the emergency phone numbers including information about the situation in Europe and worldwide. People had their photos taken with signs “Stop violence against women.“
Zonta Club of Hong Kong’s six Z CLUBS advocated to Say NO to Violence Against Women
Zonta Club of Hong Kong’s six Z Clubs advocated to ‘Say No to Violence Against Women’ by creating and submitting digital posters that showcased a visual representation of the ‘Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women’ 16 days of Advocacy Campaign.
Some of the Z Clubs posted physical posters around their school, e-mailed them to fellow students and uploaded them to their respective educational platforms and Instagram accounts where students were encouraged to like and to share the post – all helping to inspire and spread the message.
The Z Club of St. Paul’s Convent School won the Zonta Club of Hong Kong’s ‘Zonta Says No Digital Poster Competition’. In this poster, the cruelty of the issue of domestic violence against women is highlighted through a monochromatic design.
Emphasis is placed on the severity of domestic violence as well as the urgency to spread awareness about this problem and protect women’s rights. The digital poster was promoted to the whole school via the school’s educational platform and is expected to reach at least 750 students and teachers.
The physical poster will be pinned next to the school’s main staircase where most all students and teachers will pass every day and will act as a frequent reminder to violence against women.
Together with our future leaders of tomorrow, say NO to violence against women!
Zonta Says NO with Orange the World 2023 in Verden, Germany
The Zonta Club of Verden is once again taking part in numerous activities to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls on November 25th.
In order to send a common signal with the network against violence against women, the Zonta Club of Verden organized an “Orange Walk” for the second time, during which, items such as orange scarves or fairy lights are worn.
The “Orange Walk” began on Friday, November 24th, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. at the corner of Herrlichkeit and Große Str. and ended at Lugenstein with participation in a vigil organized by ver.di and the DGB. This year there was also a femicide in Verden.
The traditional charity film screening took place at Cine City on Saturday, November 25th, 2023 at 3 p.m. We showed the film “The Conductor”. As in 2022, various signals were set in orange. Zonta says NO banners are hung at numerous public institutions, police stations, schools, churches, law firms, shops and museums in the district. Wooden chairs or benches were painted in orange with a note on emergency numbers, shop windows and interiors were decorated with orange colored shoes on orange colored blankets and informational material.
They took part in the actions and showed the orange signals during the UN’s “16 days of Activism,” which ends on December 10, International Human Rights Day.
Zonta Club of Christchurch North, New Zealand is lighting up orange for Zonta Says NO 2023
For the 11th Annual Zonta Says NO to Violence campaign, the Christchurch 3 clubs and the Waimakairi Club formed a hard working committee.
The annual inaugural event opened by the Zonta Club Christchurch South, was a wonderful success. It was held in our post earthquake Art Gallery. The guest speakers were diverse and had compelling messages in line with the importance of the key message.
At the end of the evening, our District 16 Governor threw the switch that lite the whole building orange. One of our successes is a large electronic 24/7 sign on the corner of an arterial route around the city. This will be supported by the “Orange mystery tour” on the 6th December.
The clubs will combine for “orange mocktails” and orange cupcakes to then tour the “Orange lights”. As previously highlighted, the Dragon Boating features the orange theme and the Say NO to violence message. Their tremendous efforts are happily offset by a lot of laughs and shared hospitality at the end of each rigorous training session.
The importance of the message for all age groups has been well supported by a number of libraries with displays right at the entry. in other words, you can’t miss the message! Under the new initiative of Governor Phillippa Jacobs-Lory, the Chair has linked with and supported the South Island Clubs for the first time. Next year we look forward to strengthening these links and seeking a stronger message during these 16 days of activism.
In the news: Zonta Club of Port Lincoln raises awareness for women
Zonta Club of Port Lincoln hosted a dinner last Saturday on day one of the United Nation Women’s 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence.
A three-course meal was enjoyed by guests who added an orange flair to their attire for the night, in honour of the United Nations’ chosen colour to raise awareness and take action to end violence against women and girls.
Yarredi Services organised the guest speaker for the night, Rabia Aftab of Zahra Services.
Zonta Club of Port Lincoln president Kaaren Coleman introduced the evening with a poignant reminder of Bishop Desmond Tutu’s observation.
“There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river, we need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in,” she recited.
Ms Aftab was joined by Zahra chief executive officer Kelly-Ann Tansley for support and spoke about her move to Australia from Pakistan.
At the time she was in a marriage experiencing domestic violence.
Ms Aftab said her experience leaving her marriage in a new country that did not recognise her Pakistani university qualifications meant she faced many challenges, especially with South Australian systems as she tried to establish her independence.
Ms Tansley reminded the audience that in the past week, it was alleged four women in South Australia had died due to domestic and family violence.
She urged residents to back a call to parliament for a Royal Commission into family violence.
A letter template can be found at zahrafoundation.org.au/advocacy – this letter, along with resident’s full name and full address can be emailed to the Premier if they wish to support the call.
The evening had a range of representatives from different service providers present, including Family Violence Legal Service Aboriginal Corporation, West Coast Youth and Community Services and Yarredi Services.
The Port Lincoln foreshore lights will be lit in orange for the full 16 days, as organised by Zonta.
Residents can keep an eye out for the ‘orange ladies’ – timber cutouts painted orange that will be scattered around town for the 16 days.
Orange finger buns will also be available at the Beach Bakery for a limited time.
The hashtags to raise awareness for the cause are #generationequality #spreadtheword and #orangetheworld.
The 16 Days of Activism ends on Sunday, December 10 – Human Rights Day.
Source: https://portlincolntimes.com.au/community-news/2023/12/03/zonta-raises-awareness-for-women/
Zonta Club of Montevideo in Uruguay says NO to violence against women
For the 2023 Zonta Says NO Campaign, Zonta Club of Montevideo has chosen this year to run a campaign on the networks, placing an allusive poster every day to raise awareness and make visible the importance of ending violence against women and girls.
The campaign started November 25 and will continue until December 10.
Join us in saying NO 